Taylor is the lead for regional seafloor mapping projects in the Southeast, acoustic and optical underwater remote sensing applications, and unmanned and autonomous systems research and development.
Taylor started his marine biology career in central Wisconsin, one of the quiet centers of excellence in marine biology. He moved to NC for a MS and PhD in Zoology from NC State University where he developed skill in underwater acoustics while studying the predator-prey interactions in estuaries that experience hypoxia. After funding his work as a postdoc at NC State for 4 years, he moved to University of North Carolina for a 3 month stint as research faculty. Taylor joined NCCOS in 2008 when a position at the Beaufort Lab opened up for an ecologist and habitat researcher. He maintains adjunct faculty appointments at Duke University, University of North Carolina, and Florida International University and enjoys working with graduate students and increasing collaborations between academia and agencies.
Taylor has both an MS and Ph.D. in Zoology